Q Brothers | Othello The Remix
Returning to the Bear Music Fest for round two are the Q Brothers, whose inventive "ad-rap-tations" set the works of Shakespeare to original hip-hop beats. Q Gents, the Q Brothers' take on the classic comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona, was a crowd favorite at last year's Bear Music Fest. We can't wait to check them out in a more tragic light this time around...
About the Q Brothers
Musicians, actors, writers, educators, and DJ’s, GQ and JQ created and starred in the award-winning, internationally-acclaimed productions, Othello: The Remix and Funk It Up About Nothin’ - both musical, hip hop “add-RAP-tations” of Shakespeare’s classics. Othello: The Remix was commissioned by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London for the 2012 Globe to Globe Festival, played the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (MTM: UK Awards, Best Lyrics and Best New Musical), enjoyed a five month run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Jeff Award, Best Ensemble), and has toured to Germany, South Korea, London, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and New Zealand.
Funk It Up About Nothin’ was commissioned by Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Jeff Award, Best Ensemble), and ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Dress Circle Award, Best Musical), and on tour to London and Australia. A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol had its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in winter 2014 and returned in 2015. Their Off Broadway smash hit The Bomb-itty of Errors, which they co-created and starred in, has toured around the world and is published with Sam French. Their latest production is a two-man version of Two Gentlemen of Verona, called Q Gents, commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival and currently touring. Film and television credits include the movie Drumline and the TV show Scratch and Burn (MTV), which they co-created and starred in, as well as work with Fox, CBS, and Showtime. They have numerous album credits as musicians and producers, including the Q Brothers’ The Feel Good Album of the Year. The Q Brothers also conduct hip hop workshops for children of all ages, and have worked at Connecticut College, Lehigh University, Lollapalooza Music Festival, Austin City Limits Music Festival, the Latin School of Chicago, and in London and throughout Australia, as well as in Cook County Jail (Chicago) and two state prisons in Missouri.
About Othello: The Remix
Othello: The Remix is a fast-paced, high-energy take on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. This show marks the Q Brothers' third "ad-rap-tation" of Shakespeare, after Funk It Up About Nothin and The Bomb-itty of Errors. Othello: The Remix sets Shakespeare's verse over the Q Brothers' original hip-hop beats, breathing new life into this story of honor, jealousy, and devious manipulation. The production was originally commissioned by The Globe as part of the World Shakespeare Festival in 2012. Following its debut, the Q Brothers toured the show in Edinburgh, Germany, South Korea and Chicago.
